Improvement in clay-presses



S. G. PHILLIPS. Clay-Press.

No. 218,058. Patented July 29, 1879.

WITNESSES INVENTOR (if/5W N.PETERS, HO O-UTHOGRAPHER WASH NG QN u cPATENT OFFICE.

SIMEON Gr. PHILLIPS, OF PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEM ENT IN CLAY-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

April 26, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, SIIVLEQN G. PHILLIPS, of Perth Amboy, in the countyof Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedClay-Press, of which the following is a specification.

Presses for separating the water from clay after the washing process, asusually constructed, consist of a series of leaves or sections placedtogether and held by tie-bolts. The intervening spaces contain bags,into which the water and clay are forced by heavy pressure, the waterescaping through the bagging, leaving the clay in sheets, which areafterward removed by separating the leaves of the press.

With ordinary clay it is practicable to construct the pockets of thepress an inch in width; but in working fine heavy-bodied clay it is along and expensive process to force the water through the clay when insheets of that thickness, and consequently the pockets must be reducedin width; and to press the same quantity of clay at once, the leaves.are doubled in number, and a separate supplycock attached upon each leafof the press.

The object of my invention is to construct a press or adapt the ordinarypresses for pressing clay in thin sheets one-half the usual thickness,more or less, and sufliciently dry for the potters use, withoutincreasing the bulk of the press, or using more cocks to produce theusual amount obtained at one pressing.

My invention consists in the application within the pockets or leaves ofthe press of a separate leaf that divides the space, so that twoseparate sheets of clay are formed within each pocket. The loose leaf isheld in place and sustained against the pressure by lugs or pins, whichalso act to sustain the main leaves, whereby I am enabled to reduce thethickness of the leaves, so that the whole press is no longer thanusual, while giving room for the usual quantity of clay.

These features will be more particularly described in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an interior side view ofa press constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical cross-section taken on line a: w of Fig. 1, showing two leavesor sections 218.058, dated July 29, 1879; application filed Similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Each leaf or section A consists of the vertical division-piece a, havingtop, bottom, and side strips or tongues, b, that close against thecorresponding strips of the adjacent section to form and inclose thepocket. Each section is fitted with aT-pipe, c, and cook, which, whenthe sections are in place, form a continuous supply-tube, through whichthe clay is pumped into the pockets of the press. These parts, except inthe thickness of the portion a, are as usual. at is the inner leaf,fitting at its lower side in a groove, 6, formed by the rabbets ofbottom pieces, I), and sustained in a central position'at its upper sideby the projections or pins f. These projections f may be in number asrequired to give support to the leaf d, and they act as a continuoussupport throughout the press for the leaves d and A.

The surfaces of the leaves d and portion a of leaves A are fluted orcorrugated to give space for the water to escape from the-bags, whichwater finally escapes by the openings 12 at the section-joints.

In applying the leaf d the bagging material h is placed in the pocketsand folded, as shown, to form a bag at each side of d, which are filledfrom the cock 0 through an opening in the bag."

In operation two thin sheets of clay are formed in each main section A,which sheets are to be removed by taking the sections apart. Thisarrangement permits the use of the inner leaf to give the same space forclay as before without lengthening the press, for the reason thatheretofore the dividing-pieces a were made heavy to withstand thepressure in case one or more cocks should be shut off or clog, while inmy press the partitions a and leaves d are mutually supporting, so thatthe partitions a can be reduced in thickness to compensate for theleaves d.

The practical advantages of this press are that the thinner sheets aremore readily and quickly pressed than the thicker sheets, which isadvantageous with coarser grades of clay, while with finer clays it isan essential feature, as I am enabled to press fine clays rapidly andwith much less expense of time and 9f the press.

labor than required heretofore. The sheets of clay are also produced ina drier condition than heretofore, so that they can be transported. Thispermits the press to be used at the mines and saves the transportationof ref use matter.

I have shown and described a single leat,1I, inserted in each section;but two or more may be used, if required or desirable.

I do not limit myself to the use of bagging, as described, as in somecases it may be dispensed with. For instance, the [eat 11 could be madeof thin sheets of wood placed together, with one of the adjoiningsurfaces fluted, so that the water would pass through the wood andescape by the interior passages.

